Households dealing with black mould could use one everyday kitchen ingredient to help get rid of it. Mould can start appearing around windows, bathrooms and other damp areas of the home, particularly when there is a build-up of moisture and condensation.
But lemon juice is one household product that can be used to tackle smaller patches of mould without immediately reaching for stronger cleaning products. The advice comes from ventilation specialists EnviroVent, which has looked at household products that can be used to remove mould.
How lemon juice works
Lemon juice is naturally acidic, which can help when cleaning mould from some surfaces around the home. The juice can be applied to the affected area before being left to work and then wiped away. It also has the added benefit of leaving behind a fresher smell than some stronger mould-cleaning products.
However, getting rid of the mould that can be seen on a wall, window or other surface doesn't necessarily mean the problem has been solved.
Dealing with the root cause
Mould grows in damp conditions and can come back if the source of the excess moisture isn't dealt with. Condensation is one of the common reasons it appears inside homes.
This means kitchens and bathrooms can be particularly prone to the problem, with cooking, boiling water and showering all adding moisture to the air.
Ventilation and prevention
Keeping rooms properly ventilated can help reduce the amount of moisture building up inside. EnviroVent says dealing with mould should involve looking at what is causing it in the first place, rather than repeatedly cleaning away what appears on the surface.
Small amounts of mould may be manageable at home, but patches that keep returning could point to a wider damp or ventilation problem. In those cases, simply cleaning the affected area with lemon juice may only be a temporary fix.
